Chicken Bros is hosting their second epic pop-up this Thursday, April 29 at Jack’s Bar and Kitchen in Shekou.
They will be serving up wings with seven flavors to choose from, seasoned crispy chicken tenders and fried cauliflower bites.
Chicken Bros was born about five years ago in Buenos Aires, Argentina as an accidental creation between two best friends, Justin Clouden and Timmy Jackson. Basically, they were two guys who loved fried chicken and wings, but living in the land of beef, they couldn’t find any decent options. What started as just a fun hobby, cooking for their friends, catering food fairs, rooftop and river boat parties, quickly evolved into a weekly pop-up.
After two years of Chicken Bros as a side hustle, they both quit our jobs and opened up their first location. Earlier this year, they ventured into the franchise business, opening up their second location, which they hope to lead to a few more later this year.
Clouden tells us, “The brand itself has always been a reflection of both our lives and personalities. We’re both long-time expats who enjoy sharing our culture with our host country, while bringing people from all walks of life together. We’re big fans of bold (and spicy) flavors, old school hip-hop/R&B and street art/graffiti. The vibe and food reflect all of those things, creating a fun and vibrant environment in the restaurant.”
We also picked Clouden’s brain a bit on why he chose China and his favorite eateries below:
What brought you over to China?
Even before the pandemic, the economic situation in Argentina was very complicated; 30-40% inflation and a constant currency devaluation against the US dollar made running a business, no matter how many wings we sold, very challenging. As a family, it ultimately made sense to look for greener pastures, even if the restaurant back in Argentina is still growing and expanding. Much of my role within the business I can do remotely, so when my wife was offered a job here in Shenzhen, we decided to take it and see what the other side of the world looked like. Now that I’m here, I’m exploring my options, but I would love to meet someone locally who would want to open a few Chicken Bros franchises here in China and allow us to go fully international.
What are your thoughts on the chicken wing scene in Shenzhen?
I’ve had the chance to try wings at a few places here; as a wing fanatic, I order them whenever I see them on a menu. There are a few places with decent wings, but there’s a lack of diverse flavors of sauces and dry rubs. Similarly, I’ve had some good fried chicken, but haven’t seen anywhere that specializes in it. For a country with so many KFCs, I find that surprising. I’d love to be the one to change that.
The last pop up was packed! What can we expect from pop up #2?
Image via @chickenbrosba/Instagram
My biggest focus during the last event was the food – adapting recipes to new local ingredients and teaching the kitchen staff how to perfectly prepare our dishes, so this time around I hope to be in the dining area a bit more. I want to get the playlists bumping and get some drink specials flowing. Chicken Bros is just as much about the food as it is about the experience, so I plan on focusing on bringing the full Chicken Bros experience alive.
Chicken Bros created a little music video when they opened their first restaurant in Argentina four years ago which sums up what they’re all about. Check it out here.
See listing for Jack’s Bar & Kitchen.
[Cover image via Chicken Bros]
0 User Comments